Apparatus and method for combining yarns



Aug. 18, 1953 R, E. MODONALD 2,648,890

APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMBINING YARNS Filed Jan. 4, 1951 ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 18, 1953 APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR COMBINING YARNS RobertE. McDonald, Waynesboro, Va., assigner to E. 'I. du Pont de Nemours andCompany, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware Application January4, 1951, Serial No. 204,374

(o1. .2s-71.5) I

Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for combining running ends ofyarn to form a tow or rope of yarn, and is more particularly concernedwith an apparatus for adding an end of yarn to moving yarn withoutinterrupting the movement of the yarn` In the production of stablefiber, yarns from several creel or spinning positions may be combinedinto a large bundle, called a tow or rope. The tow is frequently a moreconvenient form in which to handle the fibers during after-treatments,including that of cutting into short lengths, called staple.

The addition of an end of yarn to moving yarn or tow is relatively easywhen the yarns are wet, as the water causes the yarns to adhere. Dryhydrophilic yarns such as acetate yarn, can be combined by sponging in,i. e., the yarns are wetted to cause them to adhere. However, certain ofthe new synthetic fibers do not wet easily, and it is diicult to add ayarn end to running yarn or tow without interrupting movement of theyarn.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide anapparatus for adding a yarn end to running yarn or tow; particularly, anapparatus which will be effective regardless of the condition and typeof yarn. Other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description, the accompanying drawing and the claims.

In accordance with the present invention an apparatus is provided whichcomprises a slotted tube adapted to accommodate running yarn or tow anda yarn end to be added, yarn twisting means, including a tangential airinlet into the tube connected to a suitable source of air or other uidunder pressure, adapted to cause a swirling motion in the tube fortwisting the yarn end about the running yarn during passage through thetube, and cutting means located near the outlet of the tube and adaptedto trim off excess yarn from the added end of yarn.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference tothe drawing, in which,

Fig. l is a plan view of the apparatus, and

Fig. 2 is a corresponding front elevation.

The apparatus is positioned so that the completed tow will pass throughthe center of tube I0 and on to the next operation. A guide II isprovided to keep the tow centered in the tube. Tube I0 should have aninside diameter sufficiently large to accommodate the tow Withoutactually contacting it, but need not exceed this minimum requirement bya great deal. An inside diameter of 5 to 20 times the diameter of thetow is suitable. The length of the tube should be at least Several timesthe diameter. lt may be formed of any suitable material such as metal,glass, or plastic.

The tube is provided with a lengthwise slot I2 of suicient width so thatrunning yarns may be drawn through the slot to position them in thetube. A tangential air inlet pipe I3 is provided near the inlet end oftube I0 and arranged so that release of a blast of air through the pipewill cause air to swirl around in the tube. The pipe I3 leads to asuitable source of compressed air, the flow being controlled by valveI4.

A running yarn or tow i6 is shown passing through guide I I, tube I0 andon to the next handling means, such as draw rolls, a packaging device orthe feeding device of a stable cutter. An end of yarn IB, running orstationary, to be added to yarn or tow IE is drawn through slot I2 toposition it in tube I il. Ther end of yarn leaving the outlet end of thetube ,is pulled to one side and held moderately-taut. If yarn I8 is arunning end, it must be pulled away from the tube at a rate sufcient tokeep it taut. While this can be done manually, a more convenient methodis to provide an automatic collecting device. A simple and effectivedevice is a suction tube, the end of which is indicated at I9, whichwill suck the yarn end away to a suitable receptacle. The operation ofthis device is similar to that of a vacuum cleaner.

A cutting blade 2U is arranged near the outlet of tube I0 in position tocut oli yarn end I8 when the yarn is drawn against the blade. This maybe a razor blade supported in holder ZI. The tube I0, guide II andholder 2I are held in position by any convenient means, such as beingbolted to a base 22. Supports 24 and 25 are shown for holding the tubeI0 at the proper distance above the base 22.

With the apparatus positioned as shown with the yarn running through it,valve I4 is opened to release a blast of air into tube I0. The blast ofair causes the air in tube I0 to swirl around and twist yarn end I8tightly about running yarn or tow I6. Thereupon yar-n end I8 is drawnagainst blade 20 by the movement of yarn or tow I6 and is trimmed offclose to the running yarn. Valve I4 is closed and the apparatus is readyfor the addition of another end of yarn to the running yarn or tow I6.The whole operation has taken only a few seconds and is simple and easyto perform with any type of yarn.

The apparatus described may be permanently mounted on other equipment inposition for use when required. On the other hand, the apparatus can bemade portable, by mounting on a suitable base. An operator then carriesit around with him and plugs into an air hose at a station located wherethe apparatus is tube used; The apparatus' can1 be'- used to add an` endof: yarn directly to the main tow or rope. However, the preferred methodis to secure the yarn end to; a strand of yarn of not much over. 400D.to60 0.,0, denier and then guide the strand ofyarnzinto theV main towor rope. With this procedure the main rope does not passthrough/theitubf:

While the invention has. been described' in:

terms of a preferred embodiment thereof, itisapparent that manydiierentembodiments. may be made Without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention, and it is to beunderfstood that the invention isnot limited by the specific illustration except vto the extent ydefinedinthe following claims;

Whatfis;l claimed is:

l. An apparatusfor addingia yarnend to run ningyarn w-hich-compi'ises'a`tubehaving a di'- ameter sufficient to accommodate running yarn and a1yarn end to be' added, said tube being provided with. av lengthwiseslot' for introducing aY yarn end, vand means including a tangentialairxinlet for blowing air into saidl tube, thea-xis of saidginletintersectinga diameter4 of said tube atta point sufciently distant fromthe axis of the tube to impart aswirling motion to the air in.saidftube;

2. An apparatus for adding a yarn end to running yarn which comprisesatube having a diameter sufficient' tro-accommodate running yarn andlayarn end to be added, said-tube havinga length at least several timesthe diameter, said tube being prov'ided'with a lengthwise slot forintroducing a yarn vend, means including a tangential air inlet forblowing air into said tube, the axis of said inlet intersecting aYdiameter of' said tube at a point suiciently distant from the axisofthetube to cause a swirling motion in said tube su'icient to twist ayarn end about the running yarn, and cutting means located adjacent tothe outlet end of said tube in position to trim off excess yarn from anadded end of yarn as the yarn leaves said tube.

3. An apparatus for adding a yarn end to runningyarn which comprisesfatube adapted to accommodate-running yarn and a yarn end to be added,said tube being provided with a lengthwise slot for introducing the yarnend, a cutting .edgelocated adjacent to and directed toward theoutletkend of'said tube, and means including a tangential air inlet forblowing air into said tube Withvaswirling motion adapted to cause theyarn .end to be twisted about the running yarn and be `drawn againstysaid cutting edge to trim off excessyarn-.from the yarn end.

4. A method for adding a yarn end to runningiyarn which comprises thesteps of passing the running yarn and, the yarn end together through.; arestricted passageway, thereafter guiding the yarnfendi-awayfromfthevrunningyarn andiin-front-,of abutting edge, and'then blowingairinto the passageway with a swirli-ng motion to cause-'the-Yyarn endto -beV twisted about-the running yarn and be drawn against the cuttingedge to-triml off Yexcess yarnfrom ther yarn end.

5. AN method for adding ary-arri endto running yarn which comprises .thesteps of guiding the yarn end to be added in closely parallelrelationshipto the running yarn, thereafter guidingr the yarn. end awayfrom the running yarn and in front of a cutting edge, and then blowingair with aswirling motionaround the parallelyarns to cause the yarns tobe twisted together and the added yarn to be drawn against the cuttingedge to trim oir excess yarnfrom the yarn end.

ROBERT E. lvloDONALD.

References Cited in the le O this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName DateA 2,302,790 Modigliani No1/221i, i942 2,412,403 Jackson.- et'al. Dec. l0, 1946 2,563,986 Bauer Aug. i4, 1951

